The March 19 blogging prompt to celebrate National Women’s History Month as brought to us by Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist is — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

Catherine Nahodil first appeared on my tree about six years ago while I was recording the details of the 1920 census for 2nd great grandparents; Catherine was listed as the “Grandchild” of Rudolph and Rose Nahodil. I didn’t give this much thought as the youngest child of Rudolph and Rose was still at home along with two of their adult children, I figured that Catherine was probably one of theirs.

Time came to enter the 1930 census information for Rose Nahodil, Rudolph had passed away the year prior, and I couldn’t help but notice that Catherine was now listed as the “Adopted Daughter”. For five years I wondered who’s child she was but nothing popped up and I never really spent an extensive amount of time looking for her but I always kept an eye out.

Last year I received the death certificate for the first wife of Frederick Nahodil who was a son of Rudolph and Rose. His wife, Iona died in 1915 from cardiac insufficiency caused by nephritis and pregnancy. Oh my…could my grandfather have had an older sister that he never knew about?